How Do You Deal With Tailgaters?

[not2old]

A friend of mine's mom used to drive us around when we were in grade school... she did the gas, coast, gas, coast more than anyone I ever met. It was kinda comical because every time she'd step on the gas we'd all over-dramatically slam our heads back and when she let off we'd all smash our heads into the back of the front seat.

However, she was very nice and I miss her.

I have a friend that's worse. It's the gas and then the brake, the gas and then the brake, over and over. He had at least three accidents in a period of a few years. I couldn't talk to him about it because he made it well know that he was annoyed at the stereotype of the new immigrants that were poor drivers and he had come here at least twenty years prior. This was over forty years ago and I remember telling my wife (now ex) that she and the kids shouldn't ride with him.

 

[MossRoad]

I have a friend that's worse. It's the gas and then the brake, the gas and then the brake, over and over. He had at least three accidents in a period of a few years. I couldn't talk to him about it because he made it well know that he was annoyed at the stereotype of the new immigrants that were poor drivers and he had come here at least twenty years prior. This was over forty years ago and I remember telling my wife (now ex) that she and the kids shouldn't ride with him.

Both of my kids started like that first day driving... I put the kabash on that pretty quick.

Kinda funny that I'm guessing most of us did some pretty jerky driving first time on anything, but now it's all just natural.

My friends last name was Mul***** so we called her "Ma Mul*****". She was divorced and raising 3 daughters and a son. Did a pretty good job of it, too.

She drove a mid 70s Malibu wagon, dark green with wood grain sides. Always really nice to the neighborhood kids. She was a nurse, as I recall. I'd love to have that car today.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

My best friend stole a pack of Kool Menthols from his mom. We snuck out into the woods where my dad had a large rack for trash cans with fencing to keep the raccoons out, and proceeded to smoke as many as we could, as fast as we could, because, well, we thought that's what you were supposed to do.

About half way through the 3rd one each, we both turned googleee-eyed and started throwing up.

And that was the last time either of us smoked cigarettes.... I think we were maybe 12-13 years old.

Ninth grade my buddies and I were dipping Redman. The ninth-grade basketball team, practiced after the 7th and 8th grade teams. So, we went out behind the gym to dip the Red Man. Our Coach caught us. Made the four of us, split up a 3/4 full pouch, and put it in our mouths, and run 20-wind sprints. As soon as we got on the baseline to start, he shouted, "If you spit on my floor it doesn't count." We all puked for days. But none of us ever touched any form of tobacco again. Today he would be arrested for child abuse.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

I have a friend that's worse. It's the gas and then the brake, the gas and then the brake, over and over. He had at least three accidents in a period of a few years. I couldn't talk to him about it because he made it well know that he was annoyed at the stereotype of the new immigrants that were poor drivers and he had come here at least twenty years prior. This was over forty years ago and I remember telling my wife (now ex) that she and the kids shouldn't ride with him.

I worked with a guy, who the eight guys in our work group told me was a terrible driver. We needed to go look at a project, so I rode with him. WE got back to the office, and the other guys asked me what I thought of driving with him. I responded that it was a little scary at first, until I figured out that the throttle and brake are binary devices, and not mutually exclusive. Got a good laugh. He was pissed at me for weeks.

 

[mark in portugal]

I've driven trucks, cars, and motorbikes on 3 continents for 50 years... many tailgaters, road rage, I've even had "water rage" at me when I was on my boat!

When a car tailgates me driving a truck, there's really no option but to ignore them. However, if a line of traffic builds up behind me I will pull over.

I had a car tailgate me when I was in heavy city traffic on a motorbike. Like, inches behind me. He was upset that I'd jumped the line at the traffic light.

I stopped the bike in the middle of the road and went to his window; told him he's free to take my number and call the cops, but not to threaten my life with his car.

There are not many guns in Europe.

Here in Portugal, tailgating in endemic. The closer they get, the slower I go. Usually, they figure it out and back off; then I speed up. Or they just pass me, which is ok too, if there's space. The roads are quite crowded where I live. If I'm in a bad mood, I speed up at the straight sections to make it harder for them. Yeah, I shouldn't do that.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

At night, the red rear fog light, (aka fuse retina device) is pretty dissuasive. To quote the younger brother, "You hit that switch, and it is like the sun comes up."

 

[mark in portugal]

I used to have a custom built camper van in India; oncoming truck would drop his high beams. Flashed once, flashed twice.
Then I switched on all my 600 halogen watts of forward lights.
He still didn't put his beams down; it was probably broken. Anyway, it didn't matter because I could see just fine.
Three guys in the cab of that truck shielding their eyes...
I'd added a second alternator.

 

[Hay Dude]

Ninth grade my buddies and I were dipping Redman. The ninth-grade basketball team, practiced after the 7th and 8th grade teams. So, we went out behind the gym to dip the Red Man. Our Coach caught us. Made the four of us, split up a 3/4 full pouch, and put it in our mouths, and run 20-wind sprints. As soon as we got on the baseline to start, he shouted, "If you spit on my floor it doesn't count." We all puked for days. But none of us ever touched any form of tobacco again. Today he would be arrested for child abuse.

Yeah if I did that in my high school coaching days, I’d a been locked up.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Tailgater? I had just the opposite today. I came home from running errands and got a few vehicles behind a turtle. Only the turtle was one of those butt-heads that sped up in the passing zones. I did not have far to my turn off so I kept my cool as he got behind a tree trimming truck who had pulled out from a side road.

I thought about my 97' turned up Ram/Cummins 5spd/4:10 rear. I could literally smoke turtles/hares out. I had po'd people doing that who then sped up and got on my tail. That's when I put even more unburnt fuel out.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I should add that i am not a rolling coal fan: I usually kept the smoke down. When I first got the truck, someone had put a ridiculous plate in it. I "toned" it down a lot.